Heavyweight Rankings Update Sees Tyson Fury Retain Spot While KO Artist Drops Out

Anthony Joshua will seemingly not return to the ring in 2025, despite expressing his desires to do so earlier in the year. 'AJ' has not competed since September 2024, when he suffered a knockout loss to fellow countryman Daniel Dubois.

Speculation was a consistent part of Joshua's 2025, with fighters such as Tyson Fury, Martin Bakole, and Jake Paul all rumored to face the former two-time heavyweight champion. Now, it appears as if fans will have to wait until 2026 to see the British star compete.

Turning 36 in October, Joshua is understood to be in the final stage of his career. However, he is no longer considered a top 10 heavyweight according to the Ring Magazine.

Anthony Joshua Removed From Heavyweight Top 10 Rankings, Tyson Fury Remains

On September 24th, The Ring Magazine posted on X their current standings for the heavyweight division, showcasing the top 10 fighters. The most notable absentee from the list was Joshua.

The post on X said, "Efe Ajagba re-enters at No.10, as Anthony Joshua drops out due to inactivity, having been out of the ring for over a year."

September 21st, 2024, was the date when Joshua lost to Daniel Dubois for the IBF World Heavyweight title. Now, just over one year later, Joshua's absence from the ring means he is no longer considered a title contender by the Ring Magazine.

MORE: Canelo Alvarez Plummets Down Pound-For-Pound Rankings After Terence Crawford Loss

Despite retiring in early 2025, Tyson Fury still remains in the heavyweight rankings posted by the Ring Magazine. The outlet feels that Fury is the division's number one contender, despite expressing no interest in competing as a professional boxer anymore.

Fury has competed more recently than Joshua, having faced Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. However, 'AJ' still considers himself an active fighter, while Fury claims he is retired.

📋 The Ring’s latest heavyweight rankings:

Efe Ajagba re-enters at No. 10, as Anthony Joshua drops out due to inactivity having been out of the ring for over a year.

Who do you think should be higher or lower❓ pic.twitter.com/F6VqkKUxDV
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) September 24, 2025

'The Gypsy King' suffered the first defeat of his career in May 2024, when Usyk bested Fury via split decision. Seven months later, it was a brace of losses for Fury, once again being bested by the Ukrainian.

Fury remains adamant that he is retired, having made the announcement shortly after his second successive loss. However, both fans and Eddie Hearn are hopeful of a Fury return.

Every other fighter in the heavyweight top 10 rankings competed in 2025, with Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel sitting in the second and third spots respectively.

Top 10 Heavyweight Rankings

Ranking	Fighter	Date and Opponent	Result
1.	Tyson Fury (34-2-1)	December 2024 vs Oleksandr Usyk	Loss (UD)
2.	Joseph Parker (36-3)	February 2025 vs Martin Bakole	Win (TKO)
3.	Agit Kabayel (26-0)	February 2025 vs Zhilei Zhang	Win (KO)
4.	Daniel Dubois (22-3)	July 2025 vs Oleksandr Usyk	Loss (KO)
5.	Filip Hrgovic (19-1)	August 2025 vs David Adeleye	Win (UD)
6.	Fabio Wardley (19-0-1)	June 2025 vs Justis Huni	Win (KO)
7.	Zhilei Zhang (27-3-1)	February 2025 vs Agit Kabayel	Loss (KO)
8.	Martin Bakole (21-2-1)	May 2025 vs Efe Ajagba	Draw (MD)
9.	Moses Itauma (13-0)	August 2025 vs Dillian Whyte	Win (KO)
10.	Efe Ajagba (20-1-1)	May 2025 vs Martin Bakole	Draw (MD)

Oleksandr Usyk remains the undisputed champion of the division, with his next bout currently unclear. Meanwhile, Joseph Parker will aim to solidify his status as the number one contender when he faces Fabio Wardley on October 25th in London.

The Latest Boxing News

Legendary Ex-Mike Tyson Trainer Urges Canelo Alvarez To Retire

David Benavidez Gives Clear Stance On Potential Super Fight With Terence Crawford

Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing And Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports To Team Up